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Monday, November 9, 2009

We all know that movies such asSpider-Man, Batman, X-Men, and pretty much anything with "Man" in it are based on Comic Books (or Graphic Novels, in library terms.) But did you know that there are a number of other movies that are based on graphic novels?

Graphic novel-based movies range from the obvious (when you think about it) such as V for Vendetta, based on the graphic novel of the same name by Watchmen creator Alan Moore, to the completely unexpected, such as Road to Perdition, a Chicagoland gangster epic starring Tom Hanks. Other movies of this type include 300, Sin City, and The Spirit, all the brain-children of Frank Miller, acclaimed creator of a number ofBatman storylines. Fans of somewhat grittier material may want to check out From Hell, a story about Jack the Ripper, or 30 Days of Night, a grisly survival horror movie set in the Alaskan wilderness. Wanted, the recent film starring Angelina Jolie and James McAvoy, is based on a graphic novel of the same name, though the film differs radically from the graphic novel, so brace yourself. Even the recent and popular film I Am Legend, starring Will Smith is based on a graphic novel of the same name.

But wait! There's more, graphic novel-based movies aren't a 21st century phenomenon, they go back to films such as Swamp Thing(also based primarily on work by Alan Moore) and even the perrenial children's favorite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (based on a book by New Hampshire residents Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird.) For more realistic fare, try Persepolis or American Splendor (based on the classic graphic novel by Harvey Pekar.)

All of the titles mentioned in this post are available at the library in either book or movie form, and the part of the duo we don't have can be ordered using the Minuteman Library Network's shared catalog, which encompasses more than 40 libraries, each having a large and diverse collection! AC